Wrapping-machine



H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mm AUGJ, new.

Patented May25,192&).

4 $HEETS-SHEET I mill/6162757" //a7' yJ /WIS ,1 g

H. Y. ARMSTRONG. WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7, i918.

Patented May 25, 1920.

1 v SHEETS-SHEET 2- H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-T. ma. I

Patented May 25, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

h .3 m i. EE/w .& m \m H mm mm. H N H m Q\ m G QKU \N w 6% H hl m m W m UNITED STATES HARRY Y. ARMSTRONG, OF SPRIL I'GFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

WRAPPING-Machine.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Aplication filed August 7, 1918. Serial No. 248,763.

To all whom it ma y concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY Y. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield. in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Yrapping-Maehines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines for wrapping or inclosing articles of merchandise such as foodstuffs, tobacco, gum, chocolates, and confections in suitable wrappers, whereby the same is wrapped and sealed to render the packages impervious to poisonous gases, atmospheric conditions, and so forth. The articles to be wrapped may be in the form of cakes, loaves, sticks, and the like, and will hereafter, for brevity, be termed articles. It is known that poisonous gases and other foreign substances will penetrate wrapped articles of merchandise when the wrappers are not properly sealed or the wrapper properly treated or impregnated, and that some classes of merchandise are impaired by contact with tinfoil. It has also been found that deleterious gases and foreign substances such as excess hot sealing material can strike into the material of the articles being wrapped when the wrappers are sealed by the known heat sealing-method, wherein a wax paper, such as parafiin impregnated paper, is used as a wrapper and the wrapper is sealed by the application ofheat against the flaps, which has the-effect to soften the wax or sealing material of the flaps to such an extent as to cause the wax to act, upon subsequent hardening. as the medium to seal the flaps. This is particularly objectionable when the wrap pers so sealed lie against the article or he against the previously sealed seam, and it is to an extent objectionable when the sealed wrapper is the secondary wrapper to overlie a primary wrapper.

One of the objects of the present invention is to fold and seal the overlying flaps or folds of the wrapper in such manner that after the article has been-wrapped and the flaps or folds sealedthereover the folds and scams will lay closely on the articles to prevent the passage of poisonous gases through the sealed joint and prevent the gases strikmg into the article, and also facilitates the handllng of the wrapped package.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to protect the article when being sealed from deleterious gases and excess hot sealmg material produced in heating the adhesive medium by which the overlapping folds are sealed, and, therefore, prevent the gases and sealing material striking into the article. The said wrapper may consist of a waxed paper, which in its normal condition 1s impervlous to gases, moisture and other substances, in which event the wax by which I the paper is impregnated is relied upon to furnish the adhesive medium to seal the overlapping folds or flaps of the wrapper.

Heretofore it has been a-common practice when wrapping merchandise in waxed paper to heat the flaps or folds of the paper to cause the wax to flow sufficiently to produce a reliable adhesive medium by which to cause the folds or flaps to adhere. In this practice it has been found that the gases driven off from the wax paper when so heated and the hot sealing material penetrates the merchandise to such extent as to injure the quality or impair the taste of the merchandise, for the reason that under prior practice the heat to cause the wax to flow is applied to the wrapper when the overlapping flaps of the wrapper lie directly on the article of merchandise.

To overcome this defect in prior practice, it

is proposed in accordance with the present invention, to apply between the article and the folds of the wrapper, which are heat sealed upon 'each other or adhered together, a thin medium which is impervious to gases, such as a thin impervious element, as a plate, said excluding element lyin between the article and the wrapper fol s or flaps so as to prevent contact of the folds or flaps with the article during the time that heat is applied thereto to cause the wax to flow to produce the desired sealing effect. This means of protecting the articles against the deleteri ous effect of gases or hot wax driven off 'from the wax or adhesive medium when machine embraces means to cause a wrapper strip to continuously pass through the machine, and to receive the articles and to be folded about the article as it travels through the machine and the wrappers to be sealed while moving.

A further object of the invention is to provide a secondary folding mechanism having a run-way across which the side wrapped articles are delivered and by which the end flaps are sealed as they travel therethrough.

Other objects of the invention are to improve and simplify wrapping andsealing machines of the general-character described and to produce a machine which is rapid and effective to wrap and seal packages.

The invention consists in the arrangement and construction of the parts as shown in the drawings and'described in the specification, and is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrapping machine embodying my invention, partly in section,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections on the lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are vertical sections on the lines 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are perspective views of the article in the course of its wrapping operation.

In the drawings, the supporting frame is principally omitted, except only as necessar to illustrate the relativepositions of the different elements of the wrapping mechanism and to indicate the positions of bearings for the various shaft constituting the driving mechanism for the wrapplng mechanism. It will be understood that the frame may be of any preferred design most suitable for the purpose.

Preliminary to a detailed description of the elements of the wrapping mechanism,

it may be stated that, sofar as the wrapping of the article is concerned, in respect of the present embodiment of the invention, the wrappers for the individual articles are produced by drawing a continuous strip of wrapping paper from a reel suitably located on the frame through a run-way or guide and forming the wrapper strip as it travels through the machine into a closed envelop or tube with the side margins of the strip folded toward and lapping one over the other to constitute the envelop or tube, and

feedin the articles to the forming tube from a suita 1e magazine that is located in posi- /tion to deliver the articles on the traveling wrapper before the tube assumes its complete form; the side margins of said wrapper strip being, by suitable side folding means, folded inwardly together and over lapped over the tops of the articles. If desired, an insert card or sheet may be inserted into the forming tube in rear of the point where the articles are fed on the moving wrapper sheet and at the place where the flaps overlie one on the other and are thereafter sealed. After the side margins of the wrapper sheet have been folded one over the other to complete the tube, the said tube and contained articles are caused to travel beneath a hot plate, with the overlapped folded margins in contact therewith to heat the wax or other suitable adhesive material to cause it to flow to sealthe overlapped passing from the presser means, are-se arated by unfilled portions of the tube. he tube is thereafter transversely severed be tween the articles at such unfilled portions, the unfilled portions of the tube at the ends of the individual articles constituting and folds or flaps which may be sealed and folded ove the sides of the packages thus formed, if desired. The said severing means is operated in timed relation to the means by which the articles are delivered to the wrapper so as toinsure the severing of the unfilled portions of the tube midway between the articles. Therefore, if it be desired to seal and fold the end flaps over the package, the individual packages may be delivered to a second or supplemental folding mechanism which, in the present instance, is disposed at a right angle to the side folding and sealing mechanism, and the end folding mechanism embraces means to cause the end flaps-to be folded upwardly over the package and as said packages are passed continuously through the supplemental folding mechanism against the sides thereof. The packages with the end flaps thus folded thereover may be sealed by passage thereof under a, second hot plate to cause the wax or adhesive material to flow and the ends of the wrapper may be caused to pass in contact with a second presser device to set the adhesive material.

which, in the present instance, is fixed at one end to the machine and extends rearwardly beneath the hot plate and the presser means and is free at its rear end. It is so arranged that the side margins of the Wrapper strip are folded inwardly over and in contact with said plate, instead of being brought into contact with the articles themselves. The closed tube with the spaced articles therein are free to pass away from the free end of the plate. Said plate, being located between the overlying side margins'of the wrapper and the articles, excludes the passage of gases set up by the heating of the wax or adhesive medium and excess hot sealing material and thereby avoids the contact of said'gases and sealing material with the articles.

When the individual packages, formed by severing the tube at the unfilled portions thereof between the articles, are passed through a second folding mechanism to fold and seal the end flaps, the said end flaps may be folded over and against other plates impervious to gases and hot sealing. material that lie over the ends of the packages so as to prevent the entrance of gases and sealing material into the packages when the wax or adhesive material of the end flaps is being heated to seal the flaps.

As shown in the drawings, 10 designates as a whole a run-way comprising in part a bottom and laterally spaced sides, through which the wrapper is passed when it is: formed into the wrapping tube in which the articles are wrapped. Said run-way may be supported on any suitable frame, not necessary herein to be shown in full detail. In the present machine, the wrapper strip is continuously moved through the run-way and is acted upon to form it in a tube.

The wrapper strip lVis drawn from a roll supported on a suitable reel 12 that may be rotatively supported on the frame in any suitable manner at the front end of the runway 10. The run-way is narrower than the original width of the wrapper strip, and means are provided, as hereinafter described, to fold the. side margins of the wrapper strip and inwardly toward each other and in overlappingrelation to form a closed tube. 13 designates a magazine to contain the articles A. It is provided at its bottom with a guide 13 for the wrapper strip to hold the strip flat while passing beneath the magazine. Said magazine is located over the run-way and is supported in any suitable manner on the machine frame. It is open at its bottom for the passage therethrough of an ejector 14 by which the bottom-most articles are transferred onto the moving wrapper strip just before said wrapper strip is formed into a tube. Said ejector is operated from the main driving-shaft 15 of the machine,the operating connection shown comprising a pitman 16 that is loosely connected at one end to a disk 17 fixed to said driving shaft and is loosely connected at its other end at 18 to the outer end of the ejector.

Located in rear of the magazine 13 are folding disks 20, 21, one at each side of the run-way 10. Said folding disks are formed with concave lower faces 22 and one of the disks, the disk 21 as herein shown, lies in a plane above the plane of the disk 20. Said disks are of such diameter that they overlap each other above the plane of the run-way at the central portion thereof. The folding disks are fixed to the upper ends of upright shafts 22, 23, to the lower ends of which are fixed beveled pinions 24 (Fig. 4). Said bevel pinions 24 mesh with other bevel pinions 25 that are fixed to and rotate with a short horizontal shaft 26 arranged transversely beneath the run-way and may be vmounted in any suitable bearings on the machine frame. Said shaft 26 is provided at its outer end with a bevel pinion 27 that meshes with a bevel pinion 28 that is fixed to and rotates with a horizontal countershaft 29 that is disposed atone sideof and below the run-way, and is mounted in bear ings 30 carried by suitable brackets on the machine frame, not shown. Said countershaft is provided at its front end with a bevel pinion 31 which meshes with a bevel pinion 32 that is fixed to and rotates with the main driving shaft 15. f

35 designates a heating chamber located above the run-way and supported in any suitable manner on the machine frame. The lower wall 36 of the heating chamber con-' stitutes a hot plate that is arranged parallel to and above the run-way. The heating chamber may be heated in any suitable manner. It is herein shown as a steam heated chamber and is equipped with a pipe to transmit the steam thereto. 40 designates a presser device that is located in rear of the heating chamber 35, and, as herein shown, is supported on said chamber. The

presser device coinprises a horizontal body which supports a series of bristles 41 that constitutes the active member of the presser device, the whole having the form of a brush.

'The lower face of the brush is in the plane of the hot plate 36, and, therefore, is located over and parallel to the run-way and bears directly on the upper side of the tube formed by the wrapper.

The section of the run-way beneath hot plate and presser device is a yielding section 42. It is yieldingly supported on a de-' pressed portion 43 of the frame through the medium of stems 44 attached to and depending from the section 42 and extending through openings in the depressed frame member 43. Spiral springs 45, interposed between the depressed member 43 and said yielding section 42, serve in cooperation with sto s on the stems to normally hold the said yie ding section in the general plane of the run-way, but permits said section to yield downwardly to accommodate packages of varying thicknesses. The said yielding presser plate has the effect to yieldmgly force the packages against the hot plate and the presser device as the packages and the inclosing wrapper tube passes thereunder.

The concave faced folding disks 20, 21 act on the side margins ww of the wrapper strip to fold said margins inwardly with one of the margins overlapping the other, due to the fact that one of said disks, the disk 21 as herein shown, rotates in a plane above the plane of the other disk 20. The articles A are ejected from the magazine 13 on the wrapper strip W in front ofthe folding disks and in the forming tube T. In order that the wrapper while passing beneath and rearwardly from the magazine may be held flat so that the articles may be delivered on the wrapper strip when flat, a fan shaped spreader device is arranged over the runway and over the plane of the wrapper strip between the magazine and folding disks 20 and 21, the pointed end of said spreader device being directed rearwardly toward said folding disks. The engagement of said side margins w, 'w of the wrapper strip by said rotative concave faced folding disks causes the wrapper to assume the tube form as the wrapper strip passes beneath and between said folding disks.

If the wrapper strip be a waxed paper,

the wax material by which the paper is impre nated is relied upon to seal the tube at t e overlapping margins of the wrapper, the said wax material being heated by contact with the hot plate 36 as the wrapper and the inclosed articles pass thereunder, with said overlapping margins of the wrapper in contact with the hot plate to cause the wax of the wrapper margins of flaps to soften. The wrapper strip and the tube formed therefrom are moved through the run-way and after the overlapping margins of the v tube pass rearwardly away from and out of contact with the hot plate, said margins are brought into contact with the yielding presser device. The effect of the presser device is to hold the overlapping margins of the wrapper tube in contact with each other while the wax material of the paper sets or hardens, so that when the tube moves rearwardly from under the presser device the overlapping margins of the wrapper tube are reliably adhered together. The yielding section 42 that is spring held up against the wrapper tube and inclosed packages inn sures good contact of the overlapping margins of the wrapper tube with the hot plate and the presser device as the tube passes thereunder.

arranged in opposing pairs at the opposite sides of the run-way and are adapted for contact with the sides of the tube and contained packages. The feed rollers 53 are herein shown as formed integral with or attached to the rotating folding disks 21, 22. The other feed rollers 54 are fixed to the upper ends of vertical shafts 55 that may be mounted in suitabl formed bearings on the machine frame. 0 the lower ends of said shafts are fixed bevel pinions 56 which mesh with bevel pinions that are carried by short horizontal shafts 57 belt-av and extending transversely across the run-way. Said shafts 57 carry at their outer ends bevel. pinions 58 that mesh with a series of bevel pinions 59 which are fixed to and rotate with the countershaft 29 above referred to. The faces of the feed rollers 53, 54 may be composed of a surrounding resilient, preferably roughened, cover, so as to cause the rollers to reliably engage the tube and contained packages and thereby to positively feed the tube through the run-way without slippage and to positively draw the wrapper strip off the reel 12. v

. The mechanism for operating the ejector 14 is so timed, relatively to the speed of travel of the tube and the wrapper strip, as to deliver the articles on the wrapper stri at predetermined distances apart, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that when the articles are delivered to the wrapper and the wrapping tube formed therefrom, there remains be tween adjacent articles inclosed in the tube unfilled sections 412 of the tube. These unfilled sections w are of such length that when they are transversely severed, mid-way between the articles contained in the tube to produce the individual wrapper packages, the wrappers of each side folded package are formed with endwise extending end flaps 10 (Figs. 10 and-I 11) which may or maynot be folded over the side of thepackage and sealed, depending upon the artlcle wrapped therein.

The means herein'shown for transversely severing the tube at the unfilled sections w are made as follows:

60 (Figs. 1 and 2) designates a rotating block which is arranged transversely across and over the run-way 10 near the unction thereof with the run-wa 11 at the rear end of and dis osed at'a rig t angle to the runway 10. aid block is'provided with diametrically opposed cutting knives 61 that extend slightly beyond the opposite side edges of the block. 62 designates acoopversely across the run-way and provided at its opposite side edges with grooves 63 adapted to register with and receive the knives when said knives are brought to their cutting positions. The block 60 is provided at the side of the knives 61 with yielding presser members 64: which are seated in grooves in the blocks and are backed by springs 65. Said springs normally hold the presser members projected beyond the edge faces of the blocks. When the upper and lower blocks are brought into operative cutting positions, with one of the knives 61 registering with one of the grooves 63, said presser members, by contact with the opposing edge face of the lower block, are forced backwardly into their grooves against the action of their backing springs. The presser members 64 serve as means to hold or press the unfilled tube sections against the lower block 62 and thus hold the sections 1.0 taut across the grooves 63 when the knives 61 are brought into cutting relation to said sections to' sever the tubes.

when they are peripherally in contact to assist in drawing the tube through the machine.

The upper and lower cutting blocks are from its toothed gear 69 with a bevel pinion 70. Said bevel pinion meshes with a bevel pinion 71 (Figs. 1 and 2) that is fixed to a short horizontal shaft 72 which is disposed transversely to and below the supplemental run-way 11 and is mounted in suitable bearings 73, 73 on the machine frame. The shaft 72 is provided at its end remote from the pinion 71 with a toothed gear 75 that meshes with a toothed gear 76 that is fixed to and rotates with the counter-shaft 29, said counter shaft being extended transversely below the receiving end of the supplemental run-way.

lVith the driving construction described, it will be noted that the cutting device blocks 60, 62' are rotated at equal speeds so as to bring the diametrically opposed cutting knives of the block 60 and grooves 63 of the block 62 into register. It w1ll be furthermore observed, by reason of the fact that the said cutting device shafts are driven from the counter-shaft 29, which is in turn operatively connected to and driven from the main driving shaft 15 that operates the ejector 14, and the further fact that the shafts of the feed rollers 53 and 54 are driven from said counter shaft 29, said out- The blocks 60, 62 also constitute drawing rolls ting knives are operated in timed relation to the ejector by which the articles are delivered to the wrapper, and to the feed rolls 53, 54:. Therefore, the unfilled sections of the tube are accurately presented to the cutting knives as the tube travels through the run-way to insure that the unfilled sections of the tube will be severed at their longitudinal centers to produce equal length end flaps on the side wrapped packages. Beferring now to the thin plate that is adapted to be interposed between the articles in the formed tube and the overlapping margins of the wrapper sheet forming the tube, for the purpose set forth, the arrangement and mounting ofsaid plate is made as follows:

80 designates an elongated flat metal plate of a width somewhat less than that of the articles being wrapped. The thickness of said plate is enlarged in the drawings in order to clearly show the same (Fig. 4). It will be understood, however, that said plate will be made quite thin so as to occupy but little space in the formed tube above the articles to thereby allow the tube to be wrapped closely about the articles and to avoid slackness of the wrapper when the package is advanced away from the plate or excluding element. The front end of the plate is fastened to the machine frame, and, as herein shown, the extreme front end 81 of said plate is curved upwardly away from the run-way just in rear of themagazine 13. The main portion of the plate lies horizontally over the run-way and is ver tically spaced a distance therefrom equal to the thickness of the articles being wrapped, and is of substantially uniform thickness in its part that lies parallel to the runway and is flat on its upper and lower sides for presentation to the articles and wrapper flaps or margins. The excluding element does not, therefore, deform the articles and permits the wrapper to be wrapped closely about a relatively rigid or non-deformable article. Said plate extends between the folding disks 20, 21 and beneath the hot plate 36 and presser device therebeyond, and terminates at the rear end of the presser device. The plate is free or unconnected to the machine at its rear end so that the traveling wrapper tube may pass freely 'therefrom. Said plate 80 also .lies beneath the spreader block 50 so that it projects into the forming tube at the point of the tube where the side margins are folded upwardly, but before said margins have been which the wrapper flaps are pressed when being heated by the plate 36 and also when said wrapper flaps are pressed upon by the Provlslons are herein shown rately or in conjunction with the plate 80 to keep the heat from the articles being wrapped and prevent foreign gases aInd heated-wax striking into the articles and thus acts as an additional wrapper at this point.

The means herein shown for placing the insert sheets in the forming tube are made vas follows:

p 83 designates a magazine in which the insert sheets S are'placed. Said magazine is arranged just in rear of the magazine 30, a distance above the run-way. Between the magazine 83 and the run-way is located a rotative stripper roll 84, the periphery of which is partially covered with a friction cover 85, of rubber or the like which acts on the sheets S to strip the lowermost sheet from the bundle of sheetsin the magazinev 83. The said sheets are guided onto the articles after the latter have been released from the magazine by the stripper through a guide formed between the curved upturned front end 81 of the plate 80 and a guide member 85 arranged in rear of the magazine 13. The stripper roller is fixed to and rotates with a shaft 86, on one end of which is fixed a sprocket wheel 87-.' Said'sprocket wheel is driven from a sprocket wheel 88 on the drive shaft 15 through the medium of a sprocket belt 89. The said stripper roller, 84 and the e'ector 14 are so timed that an insert sheet is delivered onto each article after it is transferred from the magazine 13.

The insert sheets are of such width that they are caused to bend or buckle in the forming tube so as to insure proper feedin and placing of the sheets in the forming tu e, as shown in Fig. 4.

The supplemental run-way 11, disposed at a right angle'to the main run-way 10, embraces in its construction parallel longitudinal angle bars 118, 118 that may be supported on a frame of any suitable construction. Said supplemental guideway 11 disposed as to extend through slots 96,96

embraces at its front end a plate 93 onto which the side wrapped packages are delivered. The main guideway 10 terminates in a plate 94 at its rear end (Fig. 2), which is provided with laterally spaced bridge fingers 95, 95 (Figs. 2 and v8) that are so in the rotative cutter block 62. Said fingers 95 constitute bridge members between the plate 94 and the plate 93 of the supplemental run-way when the cutter blocks are out of line with respect to each other over i 93 of the supplemental run-way and below the knives 61 when the latter are in their cutting positions.

The side wrapped packages with their extended end flaps, are carried rearwardly through the supplemental run-way 11 by means of lugs 98 which are attached to and extend outwardly from endless sprocket chains 99 trained about frontv and rear sprocket pulleys 100, 101, the forward one of which is fixed to the shaft 72 before referred to and the rear one of which is fixed to a shaft 102that may be rotatively mounted in bearings supported in any suitable manner on the frame of the supplemental run-way,- The said side wrapped packages, with their extended end fla s, are positioned on the run-way '11 by a llmiting stop 104 (Figs. 1 and 2) that extends upwardly from the guideway at its outer side, the packages being pushed rearwardly by the block or rolls 60, 62 after each package is severed from the tube. I

The, end flaps w of the packages may be folded upwardly and-inwardly toward the upper sides of the packages by parallel folding plates suitably supported on the supplemental run-way frame. Said foldin plate comprises front outwardly turne horizontal portions 105, spiral portions 106 beyond the same, and inturned portions 107 lying beyond the spiral portions. The said end flaps, as they are carried rearwardly through the supplemental run-way, are, by contact with said folding plates, turned upwardly and inwardly so as to bring them to the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7 Arranged in rear of the end flap folding plates are elongated heating boxes 110 disposed one over each of the guide bars 118, and the bottom wallsof which constitute hot plates 111 1 and 5). The end flaps of the packages are caused to bear against the under-faces of the hot plates as the packages pass thereunder so as to heat the sealing medium of the layers of the flaps and to cause it to flow to seal said layers of the flaps upon each other and to thereby close the ends of the packages. Said heating boxes may be heated in any suitable manner, as by steam or electricity, and as herein shown are equipped to be heated by gas.

Disposed in rear 'of the hotplates are presser devices 112, preferably made like the brush presser device shown in connection with the tube sealing mechanism, and against the lowerbrush faces of which the inwardly folded end flaps pass so as to set Said presser devices 112' are arranged in prolongation of the heating boxes 110 and are laterally spaced so as to lie over the inturned end flaps 'w of the packages.

115, 115 designate thin metal plates (Figs. 6 and 7), which lie beneath-the hot plates 111 and the presser devices 112 and between them and the side wrapped articles and extend at their rear ends beyond the rear ends of the presser devices. Said plates may be fastened at their forward ends in any suitable manner to the supplemental run-way frame, as by the webs 116 (Figs. '1, 5, and 6), and the plates are free or unattached at their rear ends in the same manner as the plate 80 of the tube sealing mechanism is free, and are raised slightly above the Packages. Said plates 115 are triangular in cross section, with their thinner edges directed outwardly. The plates extend at their forward ends beneath the spirally formed and inturned portions 106, 107, respectively, of the folding plates, so that as the end flaps of the wrappers are folded upwardly and inwardly they are folded over the outer or thinner margins of the-plates.

115. The plates, therefore, lie between said folded end flaps 'w of the wrappers and the sides of the packages when said fia-ps are passed rearwardly beneath the hot plates 111 and the flexible presser devices 112, so

as to hold the end flaps diagonally over and spaced from the upper sides of the packages to thereby seal the layers or members of the end flaps to close the packageends, and without heating the previously sealed side seams.

The supplemental guideway includes in its construction, at the sides of the hot plates and presser devices, the flanged guide mem bers 118, by which the completely wrapped packages are guided as they pass beneath the hot plates and presser devices and are discharged from the machine. The plates 115 act to prevent heated gases generated by the heating of the wax and excess heated wax of the wrappers finding its way for contact with the articles wrapped in the wrappers. 'The plates 115 prevent the end flap heat sealers from heating and opening up the previously sealed side seams.

After the wrapped packages pass the rear ends of the presser devices they are carried rearwardly by the lugs or projections 98 of the sprocket chains 99 and are discharged from said traveling chains at the rear end of the supplemental run-way. The packages are now completely wrapped and side and end sealed andready for further or secondary packing if necessary.

As before stated, he wrapping of th 'packages and the sealing thereof, if desired, may be completed in the main runway and the end flaps folded over the packages as they are packed for shipping. With some articles of merchandise, however, it is necessary and desirable to paste the end flaps of the wrappers on the packages.

If desired, the end flaps or folds maybe sealed in their extended positions, as shown in Fig. 10, Without first folding them toward the sides of the packages. The package shown in Fig. 11, however, may be more compactly stacked than' that shown in Fig. 10.

It will be understood that the structural details of the machine herein shown more or less diagrammatically, may be considerably varied within the spirit and scope of the invention and that the invention is not limited to the structural details shown, except as to claims wherein the details are specifically set forth, and as imposed by the prior art. For instance, for some products the articles may be differently introduced to the forming tube and the location of the marginal or side flaps of the wrapper correspondingly changed. Moreover, the end flaps may be differently folded, so far as is concerned the excluding element 80 without departure from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing the advantages of said excluding element.

The mechanism illustrated for folding the wrapper about the articles and for introducing the inserts into the packages is not here-- in claimed but is made the subject matter of a divisional application filed on the 13th day of October 1919, Serial No. 330,400}.

I claim as my invention',-

1. .A machine for wrapping and scaling articles in wax impregnated wrappers comprising means to fold a wrapper about the article to form a folding flap, heat means adapted for contact with said flap to soften the wax thereof, and a thin gas and wax excluding element having n0n-def0rming faces and adapted to lie between said article and said flap when the heat sealing medium acts on said flap.

2. A machine for wrapping and sealing I articles in wax impregnated wrappers comprising means to fold a wrapper about the article to form a folding flap, heat means adapted for contact with said flap to soften the wax thereof,'and a gas and wax excluding element adapted to lie between said article and said flap and having fiat faces for presentation toward the article and flap when the heat sealing means acts on said flap.

3. A machine for wrapping and heat sealing articles comprising means to fold a wrapper about the article and to form overlapping flaps adapted to lie against the article, heat sealing means adapted for con; tact with said overlapping flaps to soften the wax thereof, and means whereby a thin gas and wax excluding element having flat, non-deforming faces for presentation to other a ainst said article,

w thin gas and wax excludin "}the wrapper upon the article and inovermargins against sai .1 articles in wax im regn'ated wrappers comprising means to old a wrapper about the one on the eat sealing means a apted for contact with said overlying flaps to soften the wax thereat, and a element adapted to lie between said artic e and said flaps and having flat faces for presentation to the article and flaps when the heat sealing means act on said flaps. a

5. A machine for wrapping and sealing articles in "wax impregnated wrappers comprising meansto fold a wrapper about the article and to form flaps lyingl article and to I form overlapping flapsv against said article, heat sealing means a apted for contact with said flaps to soften the wax thereof, and a thin gas and wax excluding element abreast said heat sealing means of substantially uniform thickness throughout and adapted to lie between said article and said overlying flaps.

6. A machine for wrapping and sealing articles in wax im regnated wrappers comprising means to old a wrapper about the arti c1e to form a folding flap, heat sealing means for contact with said flap to soften the wax thereof, a thin gas and wax excluding element abreast said heat sealing means adapted to lie between said article and said flap and havin presentation to t e article and said flap, and

presser means abreast of and fixed relatively to said excluding element and adapted to bear upon said flap while the wax sets or hardens.

7. A machine for wrapping and sealing article's in wax impre natedwrappers comprisingmeans to fol the s1de margins of lying relation to each other, a thin gas and wax excluding plate adapted to lie between said article and said overlying wrapper margins and having flat, non-deformlngifaces for presentation to said article and said mar ins, and means to apply heat'to said over ying mar in?a and to press said p te.

8. A wrapping machine for folding and sealing articles in wax impregnated wrapper-s comprising means to fold a wrapper about the article to form a folding flap, heat sealing means adapted for contact with said flap to soften the wax thereof, means associated with the folding means to cause the wrapper and article to travel ast said heat means, and a thin, elongated, ree-ended gas and waxexcluding element abreast said heat non-deforming faces for" adapted tolie between said article and flap when-the latter is in contact with the heat means, the wrapped article being movable when the flap is sealed away from, the free end of said excluding element.

'9, A machine for wrapping and sealing articles in wax impregnated wrappers comprising means to fold the side margins of a wrapper in overlying relation against the article, heat means to soften the wax at said margins, means associated with the folding means to cause the wra per and article to travel past and with sai margins in contact with said heat means, and a thin, elongated, free-ended gas and'hot wax excludin element abreast said heatmeans and 0 substantially uniform transverse thickness and adapted to lie between said article and overlyingv margins, the wrapped articlefbeing movable, when sealed, away from the free end of said late. l

10. A mac ine for wrapping and sealing articles in wax impregnated wrappers comprising means to fold the side, margins of a wrapper in overlying relation against the article, heat means to soften thewax at said margins, means associated with the folding means to cause the wra per and article to travel past and with sai margins in contact with said heat means, a thin, elongated, free-ended gas andhot wax excludin ment abreast said heat means and 0 substantially uniform transverse thickness and adapted to lie between said article and overlying mar 'ns, and presser means abreast said exclu ing element to engage the sealed margins of the wrapper to fix or harden the wax at said margins.

ele-

11. A machine for wrapping and sealing articles in wax impregnated wrappers comprising means to side fold the wra per to produce overlying flaps that lie agalnst the article and end flap beyond the article, heat means to soften the wax at said flaps, means associated with the folding means to cause the wrapper and article to travel past and with sai flaps in contact with said heat means, a gas and wax excluding element abreast said heat means ada ted to lie between said article and said aps, means to turn said end flaps toward the side wrapped package, means to seal the end flaps, and means to space the end fla s from the first sealed fiapswhile the en flaps are'being sealed.

primary runway, means at the primary runway for folding the side margins of the wrapper in overlying relation against the articles, heat means against which the overlying wrapper margins travel to soften the sealing substance thereat, an elongated gas and wax excluding element disposed parallel to the primary runway and adaptedv to lie between the articles and said overlying margins, means to cause the side wrapped article to travel through said secondary runwa folding means to foldthe end flaps of the wrapper toward-"the side wrapped packages, heat means to seal the end flaps, and means to space the end flaps from the wrapper during the sealing'of said end flaps.

13. A machine for wrapping and sealing articles in wrappers impregnated with a fusible sealing substance comprising a preliminary and a secondary runway, means at the primary runway for foldin the side margins of the wrappers in overlyingrelation against the articles, fixed heat means against which the overlying wrapper margins travel to soften the sealing substance thereat, an elongated gas and wax excluding element dis'iosed parallel to the primary runway and adapted to lie between the articles and said overlying margins, means to cause the side wrapped article to travel through said secondary runway, folding means to fold end fla s of the wrapper toward the side wrappe ackages, heat means to seal the end flaps, an fixed elongated triangular elements above and parallel to said secondary runway adapted to lie between the side wrapped ackages and said end flaps.

14. In a hot sealing wrapping machine,

means to form a movable wrapper strip into a tube, with the side margins overlapping, means to place the articles into the forming tube, a hot sealing tube, with the artic es therein, are passed, with the overlapping margins pressed a ainst said hot plate, a wax and gas ex- 0 uding element adapted to lie between the article and" said overlapping wrapper margins when the tube passes a ainst said hot sealing plate, means to fol the end fia )s of the wrapper toward the sides of the pee ages, heat means against which the end flaps are passed, and wax and gas excluding elements adapted to lie between said end flaps and packages while said flaps are passing against the latter heat means.

15. In a hot sealing wrapping machine, means to form a movable wrapper strip into a tube, with the side margins overlap ing, means to place the articles into the orming tube,a hot sealing plate against which the tube, with the articles therein, are passed with the overla ping margins pressed against said hot (p ate, a wax and gas excluding element a apted to lie between the article and said overlapping wrapper margins when the tube passes against said hot sealing plate, means to fold the end flaps of the wrapper toward the sides wrapper strip,

late against,wl1ich the ter heat means to act on said end flaps while the sealing material sets.

16. A wrapping machine comprising a runway, means to cause a wrapper strip to travel through the runway, means to intermittently deliver articles to the traveling means to cause the side margins of the wrapper strip to be folded inwardly toward each other in overlapping relation against the articles, a hot plate against which the overlapping margins of the wrapper passes, yond said hot plate against which the sealed margins of the wrapper travels, and means beyond the presser means to transversely sever the wrapper between the articles wrapped therein.

17. A wrapping machine comprising a runway means to cause a wrapper strip to travel t rough the runway, combined with means to fold the side margins of the wrapper strip inwardly against the articles in overlapping relation to each other to form atube, means to intermittently feed the articles at spaced intervals in the forming tube, means to seal the overlapping margins of the wrapper, means to sever the wrapper between the articles wrapped therein, a second runway disposed at an angle to the first runway, across which the wrapped articles .are delivered, means to cause the wrapped articles to travel through the second runway, folding means to fold the end fla s of the wrapper toward the sides of the pac ages, sealing means to seal the end flaps, and gas and wax excluding means adapted to lie between saidend flaps and the sides of the packages during the latter sealing operation.

18. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a runwa means to delivert er fixed presser means be- 19. A wrapping machine comprising a runway, means to cause a wrapper stri.

to travel through the runway, combine with means to fold theside margins of thewrapper toward each other in. overlapping relation to form a tube, means to feed the' articles to the traveling wrapper strip, a hot plate against which the tube is passed 5 lapping margins abreast t to seal the overlapping margins of the tube, a fixed, thin, elongated gas and wax exclud- ,ing element, parallel to the runway, adapted to lie between said article and said overi le hot plate and havlng flat faces for presentation toward said articles and said margins, said runway being formed with a yielding section to press the tube against the hot plate, andmeans t0 thereafter'transversely sever the tube be- 1( tween the wrapped articles.

In testimony whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 hereunto append my signature at Springfield, Massachusetts, this 17th da of Jul 1918.

' v RY ARMSTRONG. 

